Process for The Treatment of Fiber Materials

Abstract

The present invention relates to a process for improving the whiteness of fibre materials selected from the group consisting of polyester, polyamide, polyacrylonitrile, wool and silk, wherein the fibre materials are treated with at least one disperse dye in a laundry process.

1 . A process for improving the whiteness of fibre materials selected from the group consisting of polyester, polyamide, polyacrylonitrile, wool and silk, comprising treating the fibre materials with at least one disperse dye in a laundry process. 
   
   
       2 . A process according to  claim 1 , wherein the fibre materials are treated with at least one disperse dye together with a detergent in the washing step of a laundering process. 
   
   
       3 . A process according to  claim 1 , wherein the fibre materials are treated with at least one disperse dye in the rinse step of a laundering process. 
   
   
       4 . A process according to  claim 3 , wherein the fibre materials are treated with at least one disperse dye together with a fabric softener in the rinse step of a laundering process. 
   
   
       5 . A process according to  claim 1 , wherein the fibre material is polyester, polyamide or polyacrylonitrile. 
   
   
       6 . A process according to  claim 1 , wherein the fibre material is polyester or polyamide. 
   
   
       7 . A process according to  claim 1 , wherein the fibre material is polyester or a blend comprising polyester. 
   
   
       8 . A process according to  claim 1 , wherein the fibre material is polyester, or a polyester/cotton or polyester/polyamide blend. 
   
   
       9 . A process according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one disperse dye of the following formulae is used: 
     
       
         
         
             
             
         
       
     
     in which
 R 1  is halogen, nitro or cyano, 
 R 2  is hydrogen, halogen, nitro or cyano, 
 R 3  is hydrogen, halogen or cyano, 
 R 4  is hydrogen, halogen, C 1 -C 4 alkyl or C 1 -C 4 alkoxy, 
 R 5  is hydrogen, halogen or C 2 -C 4 alkanoylamino, and 
 R 6  and R 7  independently of one another are hydrogen, allyl, C 1 -C 4 alkyl which is unsubstituted or substituted by hydroxy, cyano, C 1 -C 4 alkoxy, C 1 -C 4 alkoxy-C 1 -C 4 alkoxy, C 2 -C 4 alkanoyloxy, C 1 -C 4 alkoxycarbonyl, phenyl or phenoxy, 
 
     
       
         
         
             
             
         
       
     
     in which
 R 8  is hydrogen, C 1 -C 4 alkyl, phenyl or phenylsulfonyl, the benzene ring in phenyl and phenylsulfonyl being unsubstituted or substituted by C 1 -C 4 alkyl, sulfo or C 1 -C 4 alkyl-sulfonyloxy, 
 R 9  is hydroxy, amino, N-mono- or N,N-di-C 1 -C 4 alkylamino, phenylamino, the benzene ring in phenyl being unsubstituted or substituted by halogen, C 1 -C 4 alkyl, C 1 -C 4 alkoxy, 
 C 2 -C 4 alkanoylamino, or C 1 -C 8 alkylaminosulfonyl which can be interrupted in the alkyl chain by —O— 
 R 10  is hydrogen, C 1 -C 4 alkoxy or cyano, 
 R 11  is hydrogen, C 1 -C 4 alkoxy, phenoxy or the radical —O—C 6 H 5 —SO 2 —NH—(CH 2 ) 3 —O—C 2 H 5 , 
 R 12  is hydrogen, hydroxy or nitro, and 
 R 13  is hydrogen, hydroxy or nitro, 
 
     
       
         
         
             
             
         
       
     
     in which
 R 14  is C 1 -C 4 alkyl which is unsubstituted or substituted by hydroxy, 
 R 15  is C 1 -C 4 alkyl, 
 R 16  is cyano, 
 R 17  is the radical of the formula —(CH 2 ) 3 —O—(CH 2 ) 2 —O—C 6 H 5 , 
 R 18  is halogen, nitro or cyano, and 
 R 19  is hydrogen, halogen, nitro or cyano, 
 
     
       
         
         
             
             
         
       
     
     in which
 R 20  is C 1 -C 4 alkyl, which is unsubstituted or substituted by hydroxy, C 1 -C 4 alkoxy, C 1 -C 4 -alkoxy-C 1 -C 4 alkoxy, C 2 -C 4 alkanoyloxy or C 1 -C 4 alkoxycarbonyl, 
 
     
       
         
         
             
             
         
       
     
     in which
 R 29 , R 30 , R 31  and R 32  independently of one another are hydrogen or halogen, 
 R 33  is hydrogen, halogen, C 1 -C 4 alkyl or C 1 -C 4 alkoxy, 
 R 34  is hydrogen, halogen or C 2 -C 4 alkanoylamino, and 
 R 35  and R 36  independently of one another are hydrogen, C 1 -C 4 alkyl, which is unsubstituted or substituted by hydroxy, cyano, acetoxy or phenoxy, 
 
     
       
         
         
             
             
         
       
     
     in which
 R 39  is hydrogen or thiophenyl, which is unsubstituted or substituted in the phenyl by C 1 -C 4 -alkyl or C 1 -C 4 -alkoxy, 
 R 40  is hydrogen, hydroxy or amino, 
 R 41  is hydrogen, halogen, cyano or thiophenyl, which is unsubstituted or substituted in the phenyl by C 1 -C 4 alkyl or C 1 -C 4 -alkoxy, phenoxy or phenyl, and 
 R 42  is phenyl, which is unsubstituted or substituted by halogen, C 1 -C 4 alkyl or C 1 -C 4 -alkoxy, 
 
     
       
         
         
             
             
         
       
     
     in which
 R 43  is hydrogen or C 1 -C 4 alkyl, 
 R 44  and R 45  independently of one another are hydrogen, halogen, nitro or cyano, 
 R 46  is hydrogen, halogen, C 1 -C 4 alkyl or C 1 -C 4 alkoxy, 
 R 47  is hydrogen, halogen or C 2 -C 4 alkanoylamino, and 
 R 48  and R 49  independently of one another are hydrogen or C 1 -C 4 alkyl, which is unsubstituted or substituted by hydroxy, cyano, C 1 -C 4 alkoxy, C 1 -C 4 alkoxy-C 1 -C 4 alkoxy, C 2 -C 4 alkanoyloxy, 
 C 1 -C 4 alkoxycarbonyl, phenyl or phenoxy. 
 
   
   
       10 . A process according to  claim 1 , wherein the disperse dyes are used in an amount of 0.0001 to 0.1% by weight, based on the weight of the treated fibre materials. 
   
   
       11 . (canceled) 
   
   
       12 . Detergent composition for improving the whiteness of fibre materials selected from the group consisting of polyester, polyamide, polyacrylonitrile, wool and silk, comprising at least one disperse dye. 
   
   
       13 . Fabric softening composition for improving the whiteness of fibre materials selected from the group consisting of polyester, polyamide, polyacrylonitrile, wool and silk, comprising at least one disperse dye.